


a million miles away

by nightswatch



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Roadies, Skype, Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 17:01:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11235336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightswatch/pseuds/nightswatch
Summary: Jeff and Kent are spending a week apart for the first time. They're trying really hard not to miss each other too much, but it doesn't work out so well.





	a million miles away

**_Washington, D.C._ **

 

**From: Parse**

did you know that you’re apparently totally lost without me

**From: Parse**

look at this…. lasvegassportswatch.com/article/parson-out-for-aces-road-trip

**From: Parse**

“Meanwhile Parson, diagnosed with a concussion after last Friday’s game against the Seattle Schooners, will not accompany the Las Vegas Aces on their upcoming East Coast road trip. It remains to be seen if the Aces will even present a challenge for their opponents without their captain in the lineup.”

**From: Parse**

it’s not the first time i’m injured do they know that

 

**To: Parse**

how did you even find that article??

 

**From: Parse**

twitter

**From: Parse**

it gets even better: “Someone on the Aces’ lineup will have to step up. Both of Parson’s line mates haven’t gone without points for more than two consecutive games this season, but if their strength only stems from playing with Parson, the Aces might return from their road trip with disappointing results.”

**From: Parse**

i’ve never been this flattered and this offended at the same time in my entire life

 

**To: Parse**

plz stop looking for weird articles on the internet and get some rest, we do need you back soon

 

**From: Parse**

aw do you miss me?

 

**To: Parse**

nah

 

**From: Parse**

:(((

 

**To: Parse**

<3

 

**From: Parse**

too late

**From: Parse**

why are you still texting me anyway aren’t you supposed to be In The Zone by now

**From: Parse**

go listen to metallica and score some goals

 

**To: Parse**

will do, don’t do anything stupid while I’m not home

 

**From: Parse**

i’ve already done 8739023 stupid things sorry to disappoint

 

**To: Parse**

you ate all my chocolate didn’t you?

 

**From: Parse**

when you get back it’ll look like i never touched it

 

**To: Parse**

forget about the chocolate, just get some rest, I’m serious

 

**From: Parse**

don’t get all worried

**From: Parse**

i’m fine

**From: Parse**

promise

**From: Parse**

love you, now go do your thing

 

“Aw, Swoopsie, are you texting your girl?” Bennie coos and elbows him in the ribs. “Does she miss you already?”

“Actually, I’m texting _your_ girl,” Jeff says.

Bennie glares and reaches over Fred to give Jeff a shove.

“Settle down, kids,” Sunny says. “If you don’t behave, I’m gonna call Dad.”

“Dad’s probably having a party with his cat right about now.”

Jeff smirks down at his phone. Kent would love to hear about this, but maybe he’ll save this particular story for when they have time for a Skype call, because he really wants to see Kent’s face when Jeff tell him that the guys call him dad when he’s not around. He’d probably be ridiculously pleased.

He listens with half an ear as Bennie, Fred and Sunny go on about what Kent is doing without them in Vegas, but before he puts on a Metallica song as he does before every game, he pulls up his conversation with Kent again and replies to Kent’s last message.

 

**To: Parse**

love you too

 

*

**_Philadelphia, PA_ **

 

“When are you going out?”

“In about half an hour” Jeff says. They didn’t time this well; Jeff was planning on talking to Kent for more than half an hour, but then the guys were talking about this restaurant someone recommended and Jeff let himself be talked into tagging along. He should have just said no, but the place Sunny was talking about sounded pretty amazing.

Kent scrunches up his nose and the picture freezes for a second. His internet connection is probably too slow for Skype, but he wanted to see Kent and not just talk to him.

Kent tilts his head. “So I’m guessing there’s no way I can get you to take off all your clothes, am I right?”

“Yeah, that’s not happening,” Jeff says. It might have happened if he had more than half an hour. But he doesn’t and he also doesn’t want to keep the guys waiting, because he can’t take any more of those girlfriend chirps.

He should just tell Bennie that he’s gay and the aforementioned girlfriend chirps would die instantly, but the more people he tells, the more nervous he gets. Sometimes he and Kent talk about telling the team, it comes up every few weeks like clockwork, but those conversations always fizzle out, because neither of them is actually ready for that.

Sunny is the only one who knows who Jeff is really texting. Sunny’s known all along.

“How are you?” Jeff asks.

“Well, I’m currently lying around on the couch and later I’m gonna order pizza and cuddle Kit and I’m obviously also gonna be really, _really_ sad that you’re not here.”

“I meant how’s your head,” Jeff says.

Kent runs his fingers through his hair, leaving it messier than before. “Better.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, I have no idea why they’re not letting me fly straight to Philly, I mean, you’ve read that article, you know that you don’t stand a chance without me.”

“Clearly.”

“I wonder how much the guy who wrote that article cried when you guys won last night.”

Jeff snorts. “Just you wait, tomorrow he’ll write one about how it’s time for you to retire, because we won without you.”

“Time to hang up the skates and to follow my dreams and become a Vegas showgirl. It’s clearly– Oh, hey, princess…” Kent picks up Kit and holds her close to the camera. “Look who’s calling us… it’s Jeff.”

Kit doesn’t really care that Jeff is calling, because he can’t scratch her behind the ears when he’s just on Kent’s laptop screen. She wiggles, flicks Kent in the face with her tail and then curls up in his lap. Jeff can’t hear her purring when Kent starts to pet her and he suddenly wishes he was there with them, cuddled up to Kent as well.

They don’t spent a lot of time apart, not more than a day or two at the most. During the season they’re always together and even in the summer they used to go on trips together long before they started dating. Well, Jeff isn’t really sure if he should call it dating. They went from sporadically making out to being in a serious relationship with very few dates in between. In their situation, dates aren’t that easy to orchestrate unless they happen behind closed doors and then they aren’t actually dates, are they?

Still, they’re together all the time – at home, at the rink, on the road.

“It’s so weird that you aren’t here,” Jeff says.

A shit-eating grin appears on Kent’s face. “You _do_ miss me, huh?”

“All I’m saying is… it’s weird. Like, when I wake up in the morning there’s no one snoring right into my ear. No one’s complaining about the songs I pick for my alarm, no one’s stealing my clo– Wait a second, you’re wearing my hoodie, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not,” Kent says and covers the 14 on the Aces hoodie he’s wearing with his hand.

“Okay, so you’re still stealing my clothes, but at least no one’s snoring.”

“I didn’t steal anything, you left it here. In my bedroom. I found it, so it’s mine. Anyway, you probably took that shirt they accidentally gave me in the wrong size that you wear at home all the time and stare at it all day.”

“No, I didn’t.”

That shirt is actually sticking out of Jeff’s suitcase. Whatever.

Kent’s shirts usually don’t fit him, so he had to steal the biggest one. It’s honestly kind of unfair that Kent can just steal whatever he wants from Jeff, then again, Jeff really likes seeing Kent in his clothes for some reason. He likes sharing his things with someone else and he likes that Kent would rather sleep in one of Jeff’s shirts than one of his own.

Anyway, it’s just three more games, then he’ll be back in Vegas. It’s not even that long. There’s people who live this far apart for the better part of the year.

They talk about the upcoming games for a bit and Kent has just moved on to listing all the weaknesses of the Falconers’ goalie – it’s a short list – when there’s a knock on Jeff’s door.

“Swoops, are you ready to go?”

“One second,” Jeff shouts and turns back to Kent. “Sorry, it’s Sunny, I gotta go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay,” Kent says. “Bye, babe.” He winks. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Jeff huffs out a laugh. “Bye, Kenny,” he says and ends the call.

Sunny is waiting for him in the hallway, bundled up, a huge grin on his face. “How’s Parser doing?”

“He’s fine,” Jeff says. He shakes his head at Sunny. “I can’t believe you’re eavesdropping on your teammates.”

“I wasn’t eavesdropping, I just saw the look on your face.”

Jeff only glares at him in response.

“It’s like there are little hearts in your eyes. Better hide those unless you want Bennie to ask you about your girl again.”

“Right…”

“He’d probably stop if you told him to shut the fuck up about it, you know?”

Jeff shrugs. He’s not going to pick a fight with Bennie, because he’s afraid of the questions that might follow. They’re probably not questions he can answer on his own; it’s not just him anymore and he’s not telling anyone anything without talking to Kent first.

His phone vibrates in his pocket. Twice.

 

**From: Parse**

tell the guys i said hi

**From: Parse**

and that i’m watching <.<

 

**To: Parse**

will do :D

 

“Let me guess…” Sunny says. “Parse?”

“Yeah, he’s being extra.”

“Whenever is he not.”

“And he says hi,” Jeff adds.

“Aw, tell him I miss him.”

Jeff snorts, because that’s exactly the kind of thing Kent wants to hear, and nudges Sunny into the elevator. “Tell him yourself.”

He’s pretty sure that Sunny actually will.

 

*

**_Providence, RI_ **

 

Jeff knows that he can count himself lucky for many reasons. One of them is that he gets to play in the NHL. Another one is that Kent Parson occasionally sends him pictures of himself in a state of undress.

He just got back from morning skate at the Falconers’ rink and he’s in his hotel room, finally plugging in his phone after it died on him right after breakfast. He forgot to charge it last night and now he has a handful of messages pouring in. Some Twitter notifications too. Nothing major, though.

Jeff opens the text from Kent first, as he always does.

 

**From: Parse**

[Image]

miss me yet? ;))

 

The pic’s of Kent, still in bed, skin pale against the dark blue sheets, his smile lazy, like he just woke up. He’s shirtless and Jeff can only barely catch a glimpse of Kent’s collarbone. Kent is teasing him. He’s been teasing him ever since Jeff said he wished Kent would still come with them, even if he wasn’t playing. Obviously it’s much better for Kent to stay in Vegas and rest for a couple of days, but Jeff likes having him around.

He got so used to Kent always being there, to those fleeting little touches, to the soft kisses in the morning, the chirping, Kent hugging him when he’s cooking, kissing him in passing, pushing him down on their bed, against the kitchen counter, onto the couch, the touches not as fleeting, the kisses full of intent. Jeff wishes he was there now, in bed with Kent, kissing his collarbones, taking his time to stare at his freckles in the gentle morning light, watching his eyelids flutter when Jeff touches him.

But the point is that Kent is just teasing him. That’s all there is to it. Jeff’s not gonna give in that easily.

 

**To: Parse**

maybe a little :)

 

It takes some time for Kent to reply and Jeff doesn’t see his texts until after his pre-game nap.

 

**From: Parse**

i went skating today, should be back soon, doctors and the entire lv aces organization are delighted

**From: Parse**

anyway….

**From: Parse**

[Image]

 

**To: Parse**

I fucking hate you

 

**From: Parse**

:)) xoxo

 

**To: Parse**

if I can’t focus on hockey tonight it’s your fault

 

**From: Parse**

you’ve seen my ass before take a deep breath jeffrey

 

Jeff rolls his eyes.

Three more days until he’s back in Vegas. And today is nearly over. It’s still two more games, though, important games. They won in Philadelphia in a shootout yesterday and Jeff would much prefer if the game against the Falcs didn’t go into overtime. Back-to-back games are bad enough.

At least the Aces have a day off coming up right when they get back to Vegas. Jeff is going to sleep all day. It probably won’t be hard to convince Kent to stay in bed with him.

Before Jeff can think of something witty to say to Kent – he just woke up, the joke machine isn’t running yet – Kent sends him another message.

 

**From: Parse**

good luck tonight and keep alvie away from mashkov that kid needs to stop picking fights with people who are bigger than him

 

**To: Parse**

I’ll do what I can. I’ll call you after the game, ok?

 

**From: Parse**

k <3

 

Jeff does call him after the game, already in bed, with an ice pack on his face. He doesn’t turn on the video and he puts his phone on speaker, so he doesn’t have to hold it together with the icepack.

“When I told you to keep Alvie away from people who are bigger than him, I didn’t mean it like that,” Kent says.

“I’m fine,” Jeff says. He didn’t even fight anyone, he just tried to pull Alvie away from one of the Falcs’ D-men and ended up with a stick in his face in the process. His nose isn’t broken, it’s just a small cut and the beginnings of a bruise, which is what he also tells Kent, and it appeases him at least somewhat.

“If I was there, I’d kiss it better,” Kent says and it’s meant to be a joke, but, the thing is, Kent probably really would.

Jeff hums.

“Tired?” Kent asks.

Jeff hums again. It’s all he’s capable of right now. Everything feels heavy and he’s cranky because they lost the game against the Falcs and he wants to cuddle but Kent isn’t here.

“All right, well, I’ll–”

“Don’t hang up yet,” Jeff says.

“Okay,” Kent says, his voice soft. “I won’t.”

 

*

**_Boston, MA_ **

 

The game in Boston starts in the afternoon, so Jeff’s assuming that he won’t get home too late tonight. When he wakes up and sees that it’s snowing, he’s not too worried. Actually, he doesn’t start worrying until they leave the hotel and the snow still hasn’t stopped coming down, the snowflakes melting slowly after they land on his coat. That’s when he finally checks the forecast for the rest of the day.

Maybe it’ll be fine. It’s supposed to stop in a couple of hours.

He forgets about his weather worries for a few hours during the game. They lead after the first, are tied after the second, and lose in the third. It’s one of their worst games in a while and Sunny is so mad in the locker room afterwards that no one even tries to cheer him up.

Jeff sits next to him on the bus to the airport anyway. It’s what Kent would do, but since Kent isn’t here, he’ll take the risk and let Sunny glare daggers at him for a bit. Maybe it’ll help him, who knows. Jeff doesn’t talk to Sunny, just replies to a bunch of texts and tries to be quietly supportive. Whatever that means.

The texts Kent sent him during the game are a bit of a depressing recap, but Jeff can’t help but smile a little when the gets to the last one.

 

**From: Parse**

make sure sunny is okay yeah?

Jeff is about to reply when Sunny gives him a nudge and hands over his phone. Intagram’s open. It’s Parse’s account. Jeff doesn’t even have to look at the username, because Kit’s on the photo, curled up on one of Jeff’s Aces hoodies, the _Troy_ on the back peeking out from under her fur. It might actually be the hoodie Kent was wearing when Jeff called him on Skype the other day.

_Kit can’t wait for her second favorite roomie to come home_ , the caption reads, followed by the longest string of hashtags Jeff has ever seen.

Sunny has already liked the picture.

“That’s the cutest shit I’ve ever seen,” Sunny says as Jeff hands his phone back.

Jeff opens his own app to have words with Kent about that _second favorite_ , even though it’s the truth. Kit eventually started warming up to Jeff, sure, and he’d even go as far as saying that she likes him by now, but Kent has been around for her for much longer and she knows that. Kent is her boy.

At the airport, they’re told that they’ll be delayed for at least an hour due to the weather, which is when Jeff finds himself a quiet corner to call Kent.

“Hey,” Kent says when he picks up. “I thought you’d be on the plane by now.”

“Flight’s delayed. It’s not snowing anymore, but they told us that we’d still be stuck here for at least another hour.”

“I’d say get some sleep while you’re waiting, but if Sunny is awake and has a sharpie, you may not want to.”

“Pretty sure Sunny isn’t in the mood for that right now anyway,” Jeff says. “He liked that picture of Kit though.”

“She stole your hoodie.”

“Can’t blame her, it’s a great hoodie.”

“I’m gonna steal it back,” Kent says. He sighs. “So they said _at least_ , huh?”

“Yep.”

“So I probably shouldn’t expect you back any time soon.”

“Sorry,” Jeff mumbles. He can’t control the weather, so this isn’t his fault, but he just wants to get home now and he has a feeling that Parse wants him home as well.

“It’s fine, I’ll wait up.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Nah, it’s cool, seriously, I’m watching all the movies on my list on Netflix, you know, the ones you’d hate anyway. I might have also watched _Gilmore Girls_ without you.”

“What the fuck, Parse.”

“It was just, like, five episodes. Maybe eight. I don’t mind watching them again if you wanna see them.”

“Dude…”

“You don’t even like it that much.”

Jeff huffs.

“I’ll make it up to you,” Kent says. Jeff can perfectly picture the smile Kent has on his face right now. It’s full of promises. “Later, when you get home.”

“You mean later, when you’re asleep.”

“I’m staying up.”

“There’s a good chance that we’ll be stuck here for more than an hour,” Jeff says. He just wants Kent to go to bed and get some sleep, but Kent has a tendency to go through with whatever he’s set his mind to, no matter how ridiculous it is, and there’s very little – probably nothing at all – Jeff could say to change his mind.

“I know,” Kent says. “I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah,” Jeff says, and he can’t help but smile. “See you later.”

 

*

**_Las Vegas, NV_ **

 

It’s late when Jeff gets home. The night air in Vegas seems pleasantly warm compared to Boston. He drives straight to Kent’s place, which he still can’t stop calling _Kent’s place_ for some reason, even though he now lives there as well. He’s never been this eager to get home, but he tries to stick to the speed limit. At least mostly.

When Jeff unlocks the door, the house is quiet.

Kent is definitely not awake anymore. They didn’t take off as late as Jeff was starting to fear, but it’s past midnight, so Jeff is as quiet as possible when he sneaks up to the TV room. The door’s open, so Kit can come and go as she pleases. Right now, she’s curled up next to Kent, who is, as predicted, fast asleep.

The lamp next to the couch is still on, but the TV seems to have turned itself off at some point. There’s a bag of M&Ms open on the table, next to a few boxes of mostly-eaten Chinese takeout. Jeff fishes a cold mini spring roll out of one of the boxes. Kent doesn’t stir. The remote is right next to his face, his legs are tucked up against his chest and he doesn’t have a blanket, so it’s safe to assume that Kent really didn’t mean to fall asleep right here. He’s completely relaxed, though, face half-hidden behind his hand. Kit looks like a fluffy cloud next to Kent’s feet.

The couch is big enough for both of them to sleep on it, so Jeff goes and finds himself something more comfortable to sleep in. He pulls on Kent’s shirt that spent the entire East Coast roadie in his suitcase and grabs a blanket off the back of the couch when he tiptoes back into the TV room.

Kit’s tail twitches and she blinks up at Jeff as he sneaks closer. She yawns and slowly gets up, traipsing along the couch to curl up on the pillow she always sleeps on when Kent and Jeff are watching TV. Jeff gives her a light pat as she goes, just a small thank you for keeping Kent company while he was gone.

Jeff turns off the light and lies down next to Kent, carefully tucking the blanket around both of them. Kent makes a soft little noise and curls closer to him.

“Hey,” Kent says lowly. “You’re back.”

“I am,” Jeff whispers and kisses Kent’s forehead. “I missed you.” Kent’s probably too tired to chirp him about it now.

“I know,” Kent says.

“Good.”

Kent wraps an arm around him, fingers slowly running down Jeff’s back and then up again, to the number that’s printed on the back. “You’re wearing my shirt.”

“Yeah.”

Kent laughs quietly. “Good.”

Jeff tugs Kent a little closer and nuzzles into his hair. He wants to say _I missed you_ one more time, because he feels like it means the same as _I love you_ right now, and because he wants Kent to know that he hates going away without him.

Kent sort of beats him to it, though. “I’m glad you’re back,” he mumbles into Jeff’s shirt. “You were, like, a million miles away.”

Jeff smiles and gives Kent a gentle, lingering kiss. _I’m glad you’re back_ sounds a lot like _I love you_ too.

**Author's Note:**

> Vaguely inspired by a prompt I got on tumblr, like, I basically took the general idea and turned it into something completely different.
> 
> Kudos and comments are very much appreciated :)
> 
> If you wanna drop by on tumblr, my url is @zimmermaenner.


End file.
